Variety (May 1946)

We.Ine«la>, May 22, 1946 V&RIETY RAHie 33 $8,000,000 TRANS-DOMINION WEB Its Up to Station to Probe Guy With Political Bankroll Sez FCC Washington, May 21. With another hot political cam- paign in the offing, FCC has come forth with clarification of broadcast- ers'obligation under the radio stat- ute to identify fully the sponsors of nil paid radio slots. Occasion for the sound-off was a healed tilt between New Mexico • Gov. John Dempsey and KOB, Al- buquerque. N. M., with ECC called j„ lo referee the controversy. Section 317 of the radio act, FCC replied to a letter from KOB coun- sel 'J. Ted Picrson, requires an- nouncement of the identity of all sponsors, and stations should take ••all reasonable'measures*'.to find out just who that sponsor is. ' For example." the FCC wrote, "if a speaker desires to purchase . time at a cost apparently dispropor- tionate to his personal ability to pay, fi licensee should make an investiga- tion of the source of the funds to be used for payment. This is par- ticularly true in a case where the speaker has previously appeared on similar broadcasts sponsored ■ by others and announces the fact he is resuming his broadcasts." Difficulties in making such in- vestigations, the commission went on to. say. does not justify a station -'adopting a general rule against carrying controversial subjects or broadcasts by qualified candidates for.public office. Nor does the fact ..(hat an "independent investigation is necessary in a particular case" auto- matically relieve a station from obligation to . make its facilities available lo the person in question. "Hot Potatoes" O. Kv Citing the decision in the battle between ClO's United.Auto Workers and WHKC, Columbus, last June, the FCC letter stressed that because a "hot potato" places- more work on management^ station should not turn thumbs down on sale of time 'for any political or controversial slots. Gov. Dempsey led off the fight with a holly-worded protest to FCC last month, charging station KOB with consistently carrying broadcasts critical of his administration and of him personally. Dempsey singled out, particularly, one Larry Bynon, a KOB commentator, whom he charged with being a paid employee, among other things, of the Repub- lican Party. Some of Bynon's broadcasts, though not so identified, were paid for by Republican politi- cos, Dempsey told the FCC. ■ Since these slots were "political in nature," he demanded equal -lime over KOB, as provided by Sec. 315 of the Com- munications Act. The Governor's charges were as holly answered by KOB. which denied his entire battery of accusa- tions, but asked for clarification from FCC on amount of investigating a station should be culled on to make cf its sponsors. Swiss Family Davis Entire Meyer Davis- family makes' appearance on air for first time together, on Sunday's (26) "We the People." Family consists of bandleader Meyer, composer-wife .Hilda, daughters Virginia (of "Call Me Mister") and Margie, and >ons Gary of "Three to Make Ready")-.and Emery. Mrs. Davis has written a- spe- cial song, Garry and Virginia have written special lyrics, and whole family will put on some hot licks and do a jazz band stunt,:- Books'Real Fight In Court, on Air .A battle of the book clubs loomed this week as Martin Stone, producer- owner of "Author Meets the Critics," sponsored by the Book-pf-lhe-month Club, sought an injunction to pro- hibit WHN, N. Y. indie, from broad- casting its new "Books on Trial" show, sponsored by the Literary Guild. Stone's package, a WHN Monday night feature until last week, moves over lo WQXR, N. Y. indie, tomor- row (Thursday) night, WHN teed off Monday night .with "Books on Trial ", in the same .8 lo 8:30 p.m. slot that "Author Meets the Critics" had held for the last three years. Monday <2u>, Stone attempted to get an injiinclion.againsl the Marcus. I Loew Booking Agency, owner of WHN, and Herbert L. Petley.'sta- tion's exec director, but the latter could not be reached by a summons server. As a result, N. Y. State Su- preme Court Justice Aaron Steuer was powerless to order an immedi- ate hearing, and the case was post- poned until today tWednesday). Stone alleged that "Books on Trial" '.constitutes an "appropria- tion'' of the idea and format he had first introduced with his pack- age. He charged WHN with an "obvious'attempt to confuse the list- ening public" by broadcasting so similar a program from the sanie lime and place as his show. More- over, he alleged, WHN illegally used the mailing list belonging to "Au- 1hor" to. send tickets to the njw show. Court Puts 100G Bite on WOW Omaha. May - 21. WOW Inc. was ordered to return approximately $100,000 more, of its net income to the Woodmen of the World Life Insurance Society by Judge James T. English in district court Saturday (18). The judge found that WOW has made approx- imately that amount of improper charges to operating expenses. Rul- ing is but another step in the drawn out litigation over society's lease 'of. WOW to the corporation. Largest item which the judge found should not be charged to operating expenses was about ?50,r 000 for defense of the law suit. The judge also found that $25,000 a year salary : for president and general manager John J. Gillin jr 1 . was rea- sonable and not excessive. However, he held that additional pay. of $1,200 a year to Mr. Gill in as director could not be allowed as an operating ex- pense. OTTAWA ALSO COVETS CFRB Toronto, May 21. Plans, for the establishment of a great chain of . high-powered sta- tions to stride the Dominion, at a reputed initial cost of $8,000,000, will -be submitted shortly to the fed- eral government by the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. While Davidson Dunlon, CBC chairman, will not discuss the rumored plans, it is known from technical source.* that CBC has ordered equipment for three 50,000 watt transmitters for Toronto, Winnipeg and. Calgary. CBC, now operating CJBC and CBL, Toronto, is proposing to take over CFRB, Toronto, most impor- tant privately owned radio station in Canada. CBC wants that 800 kc. band; is reported to be attempting to buy out the Toronto station and its coveted channel. While negotia- tions are reported, nobody at CFRB is prepared at present lo discuss de- velopments. CBC is also reported to be contemplating the expropria- tion, of CKY, Winnipeg. Dunton ad- mitted the need for a third high- powered station in Toronto. The plans for a high-powered trans-Canada radio system follows the wartime determination of the CBC to establish a system of sta- tions <50,000 kilowatts or better) once equipment restrictions are lin- ed. This broadening-out policy also 'indicates that CBC intends, to be'-the only Government-operated radio chain in Canada. In taking over CKY. Winnipeg, operated by the Manitoba government. CBC also proposes taking over.CFNC. Calgary and some high-powered station in British Columbia. ... This intended Federal monopoly or radio broadcasting in Canada was seen in the.recent refusal of the fed- eral government to.permit the pro- vincial government of Saskatchewan (opposed in politics to the Ottawa administration) to purchase CHAB. Moose Jaw. This action has brought the accusation, that the dominion government is discriminating against the acquisition of radio stations by provincial governments; that the federal-operated CBC Intends to monopolize any publicly-owned dio system in Canada.. One big prob- lem is to acquire wave bands, but this may be solved by CBC's expro- I printing existing private stations. I CBC also plans lo be early in the I field with FM. Detroit's 'Coffee Club' Goes Network Sat. (25) Detroit. May 21. "Coffee Club," an audience par- ticipation a.m. show that has' been attracting a large, listening audience for WWJ listeners for the past sev- eral months will-make its debut on the networks Sat., May 25, when it goes coast to coast on NBC. Show; emceed by Dave Zimmer- man, will continue Monday through Friday as a local show, with indi- cations strong that it will become a regular daily NBC feature in the fall. OLD VIC AUDIENCE-SHY CBS Swamped With Ducat Requests, But Troupe Wants to Be Alone CBS has been flooded during the past week with requests for tickets for the CBS Workshop performances by the Old Vic company. However, the Old Vic troupe has been adamant in its refusal to broad- cast before an audience. As result only ."essential" personnel will be permitted' .and pioyrams will ema- nate from one of the CBS studios; Originally -»fnur broadcast were slated; schedule is now down to two. this Sunday (26j j and June 2. with Workshop '.expanded to 80 minutes for the brace of aircrs. Vet Housing to Get All-Out WOR Plugs With Mutual Assist WOR. N. Y., is inaugurating a progressive type of public service plan in connection wilh the current housing campaign for veterans. Starting June 1. in co-op wilh N. Y. Housing Authority, virtually every WOR daytime show during the month will have' at least two per- sonal appearances' by house-hunting vets, with appearances being rotated on various shows. Special spot announcements will be transcribed and used regularly. Barry Gray will make a special pilch for vets'in show business oh his all- nig.hl airer. Theodore Granik's "American Forum .of the Air" will do a forum on the subject of vet housing some time in June'. Also working with Mutual. WOR has arranged for "The CarriuRlon Playhouse" to sponsor a nation-wide contest for the best radio, script on the housing problem, written by an jex-GI. Winning script will be pro- I duced on "Playhouse" week of eclc- jbration of first anni of V-J Day, ; Vet writer,■ in addition lo usual | award money, will get a .new pre- fabricated-'house, built by Reliance 1 Steel Co., designed by William Les- jcaze. I WOR plans to keep hammering | the housing crisis to its listeners. | having set up a permanent torn- i millec, wilh Thomas Moore. WOR program coordinator, as -'Housing Commissioner." Moore, Bronze Star medalist as.AFRS staff sgt., will be asM.skd by group of other WOR vets, Bob Wood, Al lloftniiih. Ted Brown, Bob Mayo, Bob Blake and Canadian Assn. Ready for Quebec Meet Most Sessions to Be Husky Brotherhood Week . Embarrassing situation cropped up last week for the producer of a labor show heard weekly On one of the major webs. Pro- ducer originated the program last week from one of the affili- ate stations in the south and to give it the necessary democratic 1 overtones, one of those chosen for the labor panel was a Negro. Came broadcast time, and the station, operator passed along the edict to the producer and moderator that under no cir- cumstances would the station hold still for prefacing any ref- erence, to the Negro as "mister." CBC Hears Annual Parliament Kicks Montreal, May 21. The CBC was again belied around on the floor of the House of Com- mons when the House passed a reso- lution last week naming 25 members to a special committee to consider policies and the annual report of the CBC, due shortly. Before, the resolution -was okayed, opposition members tried lo got a general discussion on CBC mailers going on the floor, but Speaker Gas- pard Fautcux ruled a discussion at that point as against the rules—and there the matter rested. Controversies in and around the CBC usually come to the fore every year about this time, when the an- nual report is due. The CBC Board of Governors held its annual meet- ing a few weeks ago, but as every year, it was in camera. With gen- eral attention being focused to the CBC. the matter of provincial radio webs, which Ottawa is trying to ban, has also been brought up in recent weeks. Among olhcr things. ■ the House heard the following about the CBC: That the power of the CBC short- waver at Sackville, N. B., was suf- ficient for it to be heard in Russia! but there was no Russian service because the CBC lacked artists who could use the Russian language. That the ■ mailer of CBC nego- tiating on radio stations (such as buying out the Manitoba-owned sta- tions) was one of government policy; and a statement on the matter would be made at the "appropriate" time. This riled one of the members who said he's getting tired of ministers withholding information when it suited, the government's purpose. By CHARLES J. LAZARUS Montreal, May 21. Canadian Assn. of Broadcaslert will hold its much-lopkcd-for parley at the Chateau -Frontenac, Quebec City. May 27-30, but what problems the indie ops are prepared to deal with, and what they will do when they discuss the problems; remains a secret. Of ■ the eight sessions skedded, five are barred to the press ;nd public, and the three that are open are for such routine items as opening-day rites, a.golf tourney, a banquet and closing,ceremonies with announcemejpt of new -officers;. What is not secret, however, is that relations between Canadian indie ops generally, and CAB mem- bers particularly, is not the most co- hesive. Matter of fact, only about •30'i of Canadian indies are al pres- ent CAB members.- Reasons for this are basically twofold: (1) Half of Canadian indies are outlets Tor CBC, and they'd rather not incur the feared CBC wrath by joining a body, that might conceiv- ably be-tiffing with the government body. (2) Many stations just can't afford it. They figure, that there's not enough service rendered for amount invested. The coming convention, it was conceded by those in the know, does not intend to do anything spectacu- lar in the way of fighting CBC on such questions as FM: and video license granting, ban on licing up to U. S. nets, program control, and like mailers. Those indies who have looked in the past to the CAB to lake up their cudgels as far as iron- ing, out difficulties with the CBC is concerned, have been sadly dis- appointed. They feel that the CAB should speak up in. such instances as the banning of Montreal indie CJAD from becoming the CBS out- let here, or the nix to CKEY in Toronto in airing a program plug- ging beer, or even. the current tiffs between the provinces and Ottawa in the setting up of provincial radio webs, on which Ottawa has put up the red. light. . New. Days Ahead Generally speaking, there's a feel- ing on the part of Canadian indies that, what with new radio develop- ments like FM and video, on the 1 Continued on page 42) Joan Davis-Cantor On Shuttle Train Old Gold Likes L&M Goodwin Mystery Pkg. Hollywood. May 21. . Old Gold has optioned a Jaines Saphier package wrapped around B<ll Goodwin starred in 20-minute' comedy-mystery program. Lcnncn & Mitchell agency may' replace Frank Sinatra with the show next autumn tor the ciggie account. . Last week agency auditioned for Old Gold execs' a layout designed to board CBS as Sinatra's summer re- placement, commencing .Tunc 6. Comedy is tilled "The Sad Sack" and - patterned after comic-strip character created .during war-yoars in pages of Yank mag. the Army weekly which'folded last December. Ted Sherdcman produced program hf re. with Arthur Slander and Charlie Isaacs scripting. Old Gold as yet not given decision. Old'Gold's '46-'47 Wrapup Hollywood. May 21. With both Frank Sinatra ' and "Meet Me at Parky s" dropping for the summer and no replacements of- ficially announced, Old Gold has re- newed the shows for next Septem- ber.. Sinatra moves off CBS June 6. to return Sept. 11, while "Palky's" Hollywood, May 21. Eddie Cantor would like lo shunt his Bristol-Meyers show on NBC in- to niche now occupied by Hilde- garde's Raleigh program, which hits east coast at 8:30 p.m. on | Wednesdays and an effort is being made by Young & Rubicam to'get spot lor comic. Meanwhile there- still exists the possibility that Joan Davis \vill lake over Cantor's show next autumn, which would permit him lo debut new program for Pabst in October on three-year pact rather than wait until 1947; One matter that must be adjusted is that present plans call for Miss- Davis to air on Fri- days over NBC, while comedienne insists she wants Cantor's time. Bristol-Meyers, however, some lime, back promised that niche to "Duf- fy's Tavern." If Ed Gardner can be' induced to relinquish it, it is under- stood Miss Davis may be found w ill- ing to. accept the Cantor-replace- ment bid . ', drops June 9, returning Sept. 15. Bob Novak on Own J Bob Novak, director of talent and I program development at Mutual for ; last 18 months, is leaving web al end ol month to resume freelance writ- ing-producing. Will be under 'Jules Alberli's banner. Novak won't entirely divorce him- self li-om MBS, however, planning'lo create new shows and ideas lor the v.cb. Reported to have . one show commercially-bound already. Will f lso continue to direct MBS' "True Confessions" two stanzas a week.